


Grounds for Improvement

by AnonEhouse



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Coffee, Gen, Injury Recovery, Not Steve Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Team Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2019-01-31 00:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12664875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: Tony gets another package at the compound. Rogers isn't the only person in Wakanda who knows his address.





	Grounds for Improvement

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

 

It was a good size package, wrapped in brown paper and covered in interesting looking stamps. Foreign looking stamps with jungle animals on them. Two guesses where it originated. At least this one was addressed to Dr. Anthony Edward Stark, which showed more respect than he'd expected. Probably got a secretary to pack it and label it.

"Want me to carry it in for you, sir?" the delivery man asked.

"No, I'm good, just put it here," Rhodey said after hefting it to check the weight. Not too bad, maybe ten pounds. The box would fit on his lap, no need to let strangers into the compound. He was getting used to maneuvering the wheelchair, this would be good practice.

 

Friday would have already scanned the delivery truck for anything harmful, but just in case he deposited the box in the workroom for more intensive checking. Tony had showed him Rogers' 'apology' and the telephone that Rogers expected Tony to use to beg him for help. If this was more of the same, it could damn well wait.

 

He went though physical therapy with the bio-legs, which was frustrating and exhausting, and embarrassing. Rhodey had kept fit his whole life, going from an active childhood into ROTC and then Air Force training, and he wasn't used to his body refusing to obey him. Tony kept giving him puppy dog eyes, and Vision was awkwardly apologetic, to the point he'd insisted Vision not attend the sessions. He was angry, but he sure wasn't angry at them. Rogers hadn't even mentioned him in that bullshit apology, but then, it hadn't been about Tony, either, just noise so Rogers could pat himself on the back about being the bigger man.

After the third time he miscalculated and wound up on the mats with Tony keeping him from face-planting, Rhodey said, "Hey, I forgot. Package came for you." He lay on the mat, and waved in the direction of the workshop. "Why don't you go check it out? I'm just gonna take a breather."

"Package?" Tony asked warily.

Rhodey huffed out a breath. "From deepest darkest, we have no idea where it is, yeah. It's bigger than the last one. Maybe he found a Princess phone."

"I don't care if it's a Tardis." Tony patted Rhodey on the leg. "He's not getting back on my Christmas list."

"Don't lie, you'd forgive a lot for a Tardis."

Tony got up. "I'd rather build my own."

"When you do, we go back to Spring Break 1987."

Tony nodded. "You got it."

 

Rhodey lay there, relaxing his muscles and listening for the sounds of repulsor fire, in case whatever was in the package really pissed Tony off. Tony returned a few minutes later, preceded by a delicious aroma. Rhodey hitched up on his elbows. "Coffee?"

"Yep." Tony went over to the nearest table and set down a tray loaded with a carafe of coffee, pastries, mugs and all the fixings. "It was from T'Challa. Fancy Wakandan coffee, along with an actual apology."

"Huh." 

Tony came close and let Rhodey use him to climb to his feet and then balanced him as they went over to the couch behind the table. "Lemme see the apology before I drink his 'sorry coffee'."

Tony pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Rhodey. Rhodey read aloud, "I wish to tender my most sincere regrets for my actions. It was unbecoming of a Wakandan warrior to join forces with you under false pretenses. I accepted your aid solely to seek vengeance upon my father's killer. I was not pursuing justice. I was using your resources for my own purposes. I have since learned that you were injured while attempting to complete your mission alone."

Rhodey paused and raised his eyebrows while looking at Tony. "Do you think Rogers told him..."

"I doubt it. I bet Rogers would 'spare T'Challa's feelings'. It was an ugly story."

"Yeah." Rhodey returned to reading. "I should have been by your side, not stalking you as a jackal follows a lion. It was shameful behavior. I am unfortunately unable to make proper amends, but I hope this small gift will begin the healing of the rift I have caused between us."

Tony fixed his coffee the way he liked it. "I'm not even sure I'm really mad at him. I mean, what the hell would the Jolly Rogers be doing if they weren't holed up in Wakanda? At least he's kept them quiet, so far." He sipped at his coffee. "Oh, yeah, I might forgive him. This is good."

"He left you in Siberia," Rhodey pointed out. "He turned in Zemo, so you know he was there, right then."

"I didn't see him. I don't know what story Rogers gave him. Try the coffee."

"You don't have to give him the benefit of the doubt." Rhodey looked at the coffee dubiously. "This isn't cat-crap coffee, is it?"

"No! That's another part of the world, entirely." Tony grinned as Rhodey took a swallow. "Africa does have elephant dung coffee, though."

Rhodey spit out the coffee and grabbed at a napkin to wipe his mouth.

Tony laughed. "It's not! I'm sure. I asked Friday to check. It's never been through anyone else's digestive tract." He had another swallow. "Wakanda never exports anything, so they don't have to rely on gimmicks. It's just really good coffee."

"Yeah. All right." Rhodey tried another mouthful. "It is pretty good. Pass me a bear claw."

 

Shuri entered the King's private quarters and told T'Challa, "The chef is upset. She thinks our 'guests' are pilfering the royal blend. Four bags of coffee are missing."

T'Challa sighed. "Please to inform her that I have taken them for my own use."

"Four bags of heart-shaped herb infused coffee? Are you expecting a challenge for the throne?"

"No, I am not." T'Challa opened his desk drawer and took out a bag of coffee. "Please pass me the mailing supplies."

"We do have a staff, you know," Shuri remarked. She brought T'Challa the supplies and watched him carefully package the coffee and cover it generously with postage stamps. "You're starting a coffee-of-the-month club for warriors?"

"Something like that." T'Challa neatly made out an address label and affixed it to the box. "The heart-shaped herb does not merely increase one's strength, you know. It also heals."

Shuri gazed at the label, and nodded. "Some wounds require special care."

"They do." T'Challa rose with the box in his hands. "They do at that."

**Author's Note:**

> Thinking about consent to medication issues reminds me of one of my earliest 'my God, Marvel hates Tony' thoughts.
> 
> He was supposed to be *grateful* for being jabbed in the neck with a needle without so much as a word of warning, much less cleansing the site and checking for a suitable blood vessel. How easily could that have killed, paralyzed or otherwise totally borked him? I'm willing to bet no doctor or nurse would hand a needle to an assassin and tell her 'Hit it'.


End file.
